Snowplow



Dec. 2.], 1943.

H. H, WASHBOND SNOWPLOW Filed Oct. 18, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 V a finer f7, maHa /v Dec. 21, 1943.

H. H. WASHBQND SNOWPLOW 4 Sheets-Sheet -2 Filed Oct. 18, 1941 I II 37VEm (If? Wrsms o/v) HI/QQX H Dec. 21, 1943. H. wAsHsoNb 2,337,434

SNOWPLOW Filed Oct. 18, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 uh I Dec. 21, 1943. H. H; WAS-HBOND SNOWPLOW.

Filed Oct. 18,' 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 MAP) H M 6H5 0/1/0 Patented Dec. 21, 1943 UNITED STATES ATN'E OFFICE SNOWPLOW Harry H. Washbond, Springfield, 111., assignor to The Baker Manufacturing Company, Springfield, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application October 18, 1941, Serial No. 415,499 7 Claims. (0137-44) mounting on the front end of automotive vehicles such as trucks or tractors, it should be understood that the principles of this invention are adapted for wide usage on scraper type apparatus.

Snowplows of V-shape having divergent moldboard sections are widely used to push snow to the sides of roads. These snowplows are operated at relatively high speed and usually have shoes or runner gauging devices projecting from the noses thereof to ride over the roadway in advance of the moldboards and thus raise or lower the moldboards as the contour of the roadway changes. However, relatively fixed obstacles or abutments are frequently encountered which do not engage the projecting shoe or runner. For example, sticks, stones or the like may be frozen to the road on either side of the projecting runner. The runner would thus pass by such obstacles and the scraping edges of the diverging moldboard would strike the same and in many instances become damaged by the impact. In addition, culvert embankments and the like obstacles at the sl des of the road are frequently struck by the outer ends of the moldboards with attendant damage to the scraper blades.

According to the present invention the moldboards have pivoted blade sections adapted to be tripped whenever a fixed object is encountered thereby to allow the plow to ride over the object without damaging the plow. These blade sections are spring urged into scraping position and will effect the removal of snow or other relatively movable material on the road. li'he spring pressures are regulated, however, so that the blades will be tripped when the material is relatively immobile and would otherwise damage the blade.

A feature of the invention resides in the arrangement of a tripping scraper blade on each side of the plow nose so that the same can operate separately or simultaneously without interf ering witheach other.

A further feature of the invention resides in the provision of adjustable spring means for the blade sections which can be regulated so that the force necessary to trip each blade can be varied. In other words the blade sections can be made quite sensitive so as to be tripped with a slight force, or they can be made quite rigid so as to require an appreciable amount of force before the tripping action will occur.

Another feature of the invention resides in the use of flexible plow raising chains or cables so arranged between the plow and a single jack operated lifting lever to raise the nose of the plow first and then raise the rear end of the plow at a faster rate to level it with the nose.

It is,'then, an object of this invention to provide, in a scraper having diverging moldboards, a plurality of independent blade sections adapted to be tripped upon encountering a fixed obstacle without interfering with the scraping action of any untripped blade sections.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in a V-shaped snowplow, a spring urged scraper blade on each side of the plow nose adapted to be independently or simultaneously operated upon encountering a fixed obstacle.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a snow plow for mounting on the front end of an automotive vehicle and capable of allowing the passage of fixed obstacles thereunder.

A specific object of the invention is to provide a snow plow having caster wheels supporting the weight of the plow from the road.

A further specific object of the invention is to provide a snowplow with independent blade sections closely adjacent each side of the plow nose and to arrange these sections so that the same can be tripped without interfering with each other.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed descriptions of the annexed sheets of drawings which, by way. of preferred examples, show two embodiments of the invention.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a snowplow according to this invention and illustrating the same mounted on the front end of a truck, with parts of the truck being broken away to more fully show the mounting.

Figure 1-A is a front plan View of the truck mounting for the plow shown in Figure 1.

Figure 2 is a rear elevational view of the plow shown in Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary front elevational I view of the modified plow form shown in Figure 7..

Figure 9 is a fragmentary. cross-sectional view taken along the line IX--IX of Figure 7.

As shown on the drawings: r In Figure 1 the reference character nates generally a v-shapedsnowplow mounted on the front end of a truck T. The truck T has the usual frame beams such as F. Brackets such as I are mounted on the front ends of the beams such as F and extend below the front fendersof the truck; The brackets carry a rectangular support |2 in front of the truck radiator. As also shown in Figures 1 and 1A the brackets I' carry pivot supports |3 at a level beneath the truck frame beams.

' The rectangular support member l2 carries a pneumatic or hydraulic jack l4 adapted to be supplied with operating fluid such as air or oil from the truck through a hose such as I5. The jack M has the'cylinder thereof pivoted to the rectangular support l2 as at'l6.

I An operating lever I1 is pivotally mounted on the upperend of the support |2 as at l8 and is connectedintermediate its ends and in front of the support |2 to the piston rod lda'of the Jack M. T f The free end of the operating lever carries chains-cables or other flexible connecting devices I91; and 9b which, as will be hereinafter more fully described, are respectively connected with the front and rear portions of the plow to raise and lower the same in accordance with the height of the operating lever IT as controlled by the jack I4. I 7

As shown in Figures 1 to 4 the plow I0 includes a vertical central plate and diverging moldboards 2|, 2| on each side thereof. These mold boards 2|, 2| are curved and increase in height toward their divergent ends as is customary in V-type snowplows. V 7

Deck plates 22, 22, as shown in Figures 2, 3 and 6, extend inwardly from the lower ends of the moldboards 2|, 2|. these plates 22 have downturned flanges 221; at the frontends thereof. stiffener plates 23 are inserted between the moldboards 2| and the flanges 22a to rigidify the lower end of the moldboard. As' best' shown in Figures 3 and 6, hinges 24are spaced along the length of the deck plates 22 and have mounting brackets 24h with offset leg portions as shown in Figure 6 underlying the plates 22 and the flanges 22a thereof. Rivets such as 25 can join the offset ends of the brackets 24a to the plates 22 while additional rivets 26 extend through the moldboard 2|, the stiffener plate 23 and the other legs of the brackets 24a to fixedly hold the hinges in position and to fixedly mount the deck plates to the moldboards;

The hinges 24 also include hinge brackets 24b equipped with spaced ears or webs 240 which are pivotally-mounted to the brackets 24a by means of pivot pins 24d. As best shown in Figure 3, these hinge brackets 24b are riveted orbo'lted as desig v As shown in Figure 6,

at 21 to scraper blades 28 for carrying a plurality of blades under each moldboard 2|. As shown in Figure 3, a pair of hinges 24 pivotally support each scraper blade 28 from the decks and moldboards. A pair of blades 28 are mounted under each moldboard 2|. However, it should be understood that any desired number of hinges or any desired number of blades can be provided.

As best-shown in Figures 2, and 6, each deck plate 22 has welded on top thereof a'plurality of vertical plates 29 extending in right-angular relationship behind each moldboard 2|. The plates 29 have triangular holes 29a in the upper ends thereof. Each set of plates 29 behind each moldboard 2| receives a separate angle beam 30 through the holes 29a thereof. These angle beams are welded to the plates 29 in which they are seated and terminate in spaced relation from each other at the convergent ends of the moldboards. The beams 30 are thus fixedly mounted in spaced relation above the deck plates 22.

' The ears 240 of each hinge bracket 24b receive therebetween' the head 3|a of a threaded rod 3|. A pin 32 extends through the ears and head 3|a for pivotally connecting the bracket 241) with the rod. The deck plates 22 have elongated openings 22b receiving the rods 3| therethrough.

The upper ends of the rods 3| extend freely through openings in the angle beams 30.

A coil spring 33 surrounds each rod 3| and extends between the beam 30 and a washer 34 disposed around the lower portion of the rod and held in adjusted position along the length of the rod by means of nuts such as 35 which are 35 threaded on the lower end of the rod. The upper end of the rod has nuts 36 threaded thereon on top of the beam 30.

Adjustment of the nuts 35 and 35 on the rod 3| will regulate compression of the spring 33 and will also shift the rod so asto obtain a desired alignment between the scraper blade 28 and the moldboard 2|. For example the nuts 35 may be moved toward the nuts 36 to compress the spring so that further compression thereof will require appreciable force and the blades 28 can thereby only be tripped upon application of an appreciable force. On the other hand the nuts 35 can be moved away from the nuts 36 to permit the spring to expand and decrease the spring load. As a result the blades can be tripped with light forces.

Further adjustment of the nuts 36 toward and away from the upper ends of the rods 3| will vary the effective lengths of the rods for obtaining any desired alignment of the blades 28 with the moldboard 2| when the blades are in un tripped position.

' A runner or shoe 31 is mounted on the vertical plate 20 as shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4. This shoe 31 is composed of plates 31a and 31b as shown in Figures 3 and 4 which, as shown in Figure 1, extend upwardly along the plate 20 and are bolted or riveted thereon as at 38. This runner 3'! extends forwardly from the plow nose along the road and raises and lowers the plow nose in accordance with the contour of the road. Since the innermost blades 28 on the plow extend closely adjacent to the runner 3'! and since the moldboards2| converge at the plate 20 some precaution must be taken so that these blades can be tripped independently or together without binding against'the runner. Therefore, as shown in Figures 1 and 5, the rear faces 28a of the innermost blades 28 are held by the springs behind the plates 31a and 31b respectively. The

th plates. 4 I.

"front faces 28b. of:the;blade=are pref erablyaligned with the; rear edges: of: the: plates. &'la..and .3111. In this manner the blades. .28: .cantrip rearwardly without binding-.011 the runner 3:11. i

The snowplow has aframezstructurerbehindrthe moldboards 21;, 21- .for rigidifving. the assembly and for providing a truckmounting. This structure includes a plurality of vertical rib; plates 40, best shown in Figure-3,; welded to-theunder- .side of the deck plates 2-2 near the outer ends thereof. The plates -40 are alsopreferably welded to the flanges 22a of the deck Plates.

A pair of additional vertical plates :4 I arewelded to the undersides of the deck plates 2.2 at points closer to the convergent ends thereof. These additional platest ll, inturn, have angle beams 42.. welded thereon and projecting rearwardly therefrom.

A third setof vertical rib plates 43 are welded to. the. underside .of the. deck .platesfi. between A. crossangle beam 44 extends between the beams 42 and is welded to thebeams as well as to the. plates 4.3... This cross beam 44 has p i a s Ma thereon roviding pivot supports for a. pair. of link rodsdfi'. These link i rods 45 asshown iniligurev l. are pivoted at. their rear .ends to the supports l3, l3 of the truck support [2.

Beams 45 are welded to the rear. ends of th plates ill and, as. best shown in Figure 2, have 1 their inner ends connected through a beam '41 which is. welded thereunder.

Flat plates 48, as shown in Figure 2, are disposed over the rear faces of the beamstt and are securedthereon bymeans of weldin ,.riveting,

bolts or the like. These plates 48; extend from the beams 46 to below the levels of the tops of the moldboards 2L, Above the decks 22, side plates 49 (Fig. 3) extend from the inner ends of the plates as tothe rear faces of the moldboards and are welded in position. The tops of the plates 48 and 49 are covered with top plates 53 whicl'z slope downwardly from the tops of the moldboards as shown in Fig. 2;,

As best shown in Figure 2,2 11 angle beam i is welded to the rear faces of the plates 4-3 and extends across the space between the plates. Two pairs of vertical angle beams 5-2 extend between the beam 5! and the beam M and are secured thereto by means of rivets or bolts. The beams of each. pair of beams 52 straddle the links d5. Cross braces 53 extend between the beams of each pair 52 and are adjustably mounted in vertically spaced holes in the beams for overlying the links at a desired level. These stops 53 will define 'abutments for the links to limit the upward swinging of the links.

The convergent ends of the deck plates 22 have welded thereon a support housing 5 for the screw rod 55- of a-shoe assembly 56. li he shoe 55 rides behind the nose of the plow and is adapted to'be raised and lowered by-the screw rod 55 so as to carry the nose of the plow at the desired height from the road.

The plates 48 are apertured as at 48c (Figure 2) to receive bracket plates 51 which are fixedly secured on the beams 36 and on the outer edges of a vertical plate t0. These bracket plates 5! are heavier than the sheet 48 and receive, in adjustable relation on the rear faces thereof, housing members 58 carrying caster wheels 5%. Screw rods are provided for raising and lowering the caster wheels 59. These caster wheels 59 are spaced behind the divergent ends or" the moldboards 2| and support the snowplow from the road. Thus the .snowplow Hihas a. shoe support 'fili' behindwthenose thereof and caster wheel sup.- portsat the divergent ends. thereof but spaced behind the moldboards.

As shown in Figures 1, 'l..A.and 4, a chain and two. chains [9b are provided between the operating lever-l 1 and the frame assembly forthe snowpliow. As best shown in Figure 4, the chain l9a is connected at its lower end to the beam 44 and the two chains 1:9?) are connected at their lower ends to the beams 62. The upper end of chain l-9a,. as shown in Figure 1, is connected to the lever l'linwardly of the free end thereof as at Ma, on a cross brace of the lever. The upper ends of the chains [9b are connected as at l-lb tothelever H. The connections lib are at the result, the chains 1-9!) will be raised at a faster rate than theachain-lfia, since the end ofthe lever I l moves about the pivot id, in, an arcuate path having-a longer vertical component than the path traversed by any intermediate points on the lever such as Fla.

The chains Na and !9b are adjusted in, relas tive lengths so that the chain Isa becomes-taut first upon raising. of the lever it. Therefore the nose portion. of the plow will rise first .to clear obstructions. Then .as soon as the lever has traveled. far enoughto take up the slack in the chains IBb, the rear end of the. plow. begins. to raise at .a faster rate than, the nose. Thus by the timethe jackreachesthe end-of its strohethe plow will be raised, to its maximum height and will be substantially parallel with the ground. This. is very desirable since the casters. .59.. will have maximum ground clearance for the raised height of the. plow. The links 45. permit this vertical lift and caster clearance whi h c ldnot be obtained by swinging the plow around fired pivot points on the truck.

If desired. of course, the single fr m ch in W could be... and in some instances is,.r p. ed with two chains. The two chains could have their lower ends secured at laterallyspaced points. on

the plow, for example, on thedeck plates. This producesa-more, balanced and steadier lift for the plow nose.

When the snowplow is in operating position the shoe 56. andtheicaster wheels .59 ride on the road so. that the chains can be slackened. The height of thescraper blade 28 from the road is determined by the shoe and caster wheels. The-runs her or gauging device-3 1 will raise the snowplow in theevenbr-that the contour of the road abruptl changes so as to prevent the blade 28 from digging into the road. At the same time, however, in the event that relatively fixed obstacles are in the path of the snowplow the blades 28 will be tripped by such obstacles against the spring presures so that the obstacles will pass under the moldboard without damaging either the blades or the moldboard. I

In the modification shown in Figures 7, 8 and 9, the tripping blades 28 do not extend to the nose of the plow but are separated by a rigid nose section.

As best shown in Figures '7 and 9 the deck plates 22 have a V-shaped support plate 10 secured below the flanges 22a thereof on web plates H. A V-shaped blade I2 is riveted, bolted, or welded on the front of the plat Hi and has the gauging device or runner 13 for the plow formed integrally thereon.

' As best shown in Figure 8 the divergent edges 12a of the rigid blade 12 slope inwardly toward the top of the plow so that the bottom of the rigid section is wider than the top thereof. Because of this construction the tripping blades 28 can cooperate without binding against the rigid section. The inner ends of the tripping blades 28 are parallel with the edges of the rigid plate 12.

From the above descriptions it will'be readily understood that this invention provides scraping devices such as snowplows with scraping blade sections adapted to be tripped rearwardly whenever the plow encounters a fixed obstacle. It will also be understood that the snowplow includes novel supporting constructions for the 1 tripping blades and the moldboard. The plows of this invention are strong and rigid yet not excessively heavy.

It will, of course, be understood that various details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A scraper device including divergent moldboards and a runner projecting forwardly from the convergent ends of the moldboards, said runner having opposed vertical faces lying closely adjacent each other to provide therebetween a thin leading edge the improvement which comprises scraper blades pivotally mounted along the lower edges of the moldboards and extending into closely spaced relation from said vertical faces of the runner, said blades cooperating to substantially converge adjacent said runner, and spring means holding the rear faces of the blades behind the runner whereby the blades can be tripped rearwardly without binding against the runner. Y

2.. A scraper comprising a moldboard, an apertured deck plate fixedly mounted on the lower edge portion of the moldboard, a hinge having one leaf thereof mounted on the deck plate behind the moldboard, a scraper blade carried by the other leaf of the hinge, a rod pivoted to said other leaf behind said scraper blade, a coil spring surrounding said rod, said rod andcoil spring extending through the aperture of the deck plate, a support means fixedly carried by the deck plate receiving the rod therethrough and nuts threaded on the end portions of the rod for controlling compression of the spring and position of the rod to align the blade with the moldboard.

3, A snowplow construction comprising a V-shaped moldboard, deck plates fixedly mounted along the lower edge of the moldboard and extending rearwardly therefrom, vertical plates mounted on top of the deck plates, beams connecting the vertical plates on each deck plate,

rodsslidably mounted'through said beams and said deck plates, coil springs surrounding said rods, hinges mounted on said deck plates, scraper blades carried by said hinges, means pivotally connecting the hinges with the rods, and nuts threaded on the rods for adjusting the positions thereof and for controlling compression of the coil springs whereby the positions of the blades relative to the moldboard are controlled.

4. In a snowplow and propelling vehicle assembly, a vehicle mounted swinging lever lift device, a plow mounting link pivoted to the plow at one end and to the vehicle at the other end, a first connector between a portion of the swinging lever and the forward portion of the plow, and a second connector between the rearward portion of the plow and a portion of the swinging lever having a larger range of movement than the portion on which the first connector is mounted.

5. A snowplow and truck assembly comprising a lift lever pivotedly mounted on the front end of a truck and having aswingable free end, first flexible means connected between the free end of the lever and the rearward portion of the plow, second'flexible means connected between an intermediate portion of the lever and the forward portion of the plow and said first and second flexible means having relative efiective lengths arranged for raising the forward portion of the plow before the rearward portion starts to raise when the lift lever is operated and whereby the rearward portion of the plow will then be raised at a faster rate than the forward portion.

6. A scraper assembly comprising rearwardly diverging moldboards, a frame construction for said moldboards, links pivoted to the frame construction, vehicle mounting means pivotedly supporting the other ends of the links, a lift lever pivoted at one end to said mountin means, chains connecting the free end of the lever to laterally spaced rearward portions of the frame construction, a second chain connecting a forward portion of the frame construction to an intermediate portion of the lever and said chains and second chain having relative lengths arranged to effect lifting of the divergent ends of the moldboard only after the convergent ends thereof have been lifted.

'7. A scraper assembly comprising a moldboard. a deck plate fixedly mounted on the lower edge portion of the moldboard and extending rearwardly therefrom, hinges mounted on the deck plate, a scraper blade carried by said hinges, rods pivoted to said hinges, a coil spring surrounding each rod, support means on the deck plate receiving the rods therethrough, and nuts threaded on the end portions of the rods for controlling compression of the springs and for shifting the rods to align the blade with the moldboard.

HARRY H. WASI-IBOND. 

